Child Soldiers: If Not Prosecution, Then What?

Recently, two million children have died over the past ten years due to becoming a child soldier. A huge deplorable development that has extended recently is the increase of child soldiers. Children are constantly being used as soldiers for various reasons. In some countries, there are more child soldiers than they are adults because children are more compliant. Children have been exploited as soldiers because they are being recruited to do a violent action, it is difficult for them to, later on, assimilate back to their lives, and child soldiers are regularly used in developing countries.

These Children are being exploited from their families and then taking into custody. Human service reports that children are being brutally recruitment, by being taken away and often being harassed by older people. This is a society impact, this is a big problem, for the global impact, which can work together to reintegrate, child soldiers back to society to make them, a productive individuals. All around the world every child has dream of going to school and learning about everything, but in some states that's not the case they are compelled to become instruments of war kill, and to be killed. Child soldiers are being forced to give violent expression towards adults, they are often thought that adults are the main enemy and they are always thought that they are alone in this

Although some may argue that child soldiers should be given amnesty and not be punished for their crimes they are wrong. For example, they had a decision and many chances to not commit crimes, but most child soldiers decided to keep on living and kill their families. In the article, “Child Soldiers: Victims or Perpetrators”, they discuss that child soldiers join because they get tricked. As it states, “Children are forced by commanders through false promises, drugs and things which you can’t even imagine, to kill innocent civilians, other children and even their own families.” This shows kids could’ve denied being a soldier but they easily fall for trick to join then they decide to kill their families because they get told to do so.

For several years the use of children are being used in both civil and state wars. Over 300,000 children are being used and hundreds of thousands are being sent to war in 36 different armed conflicts global (Children of war). These children are as young as 8 years old they have committed some of the most violent acts of crime such as rape, mutilation and mass murders of innocent civilians but some of this children are forced and drugged but also some have volunteered so real questions is should the Child Solders be prosecuted for their crime or can they be rehabilitated?

The thought of a child behind bars for war crimes is atrocious. People may see it as justified though. Those people see it as fair to have a child that was manipulated and drugged into fighting be faced with the crimes they had contributed to. On one side of the argument, child soldiers should not be granted amnesty because most are fully aware of what their doing when enlisting. On the other side, child soldiers should be granted amnesty. More often than not children have no say in whether they enlist or not and once recruited the children become brainwashed from the usage of drugs and alcohol. Systematic drug taking is especially reported among West African-based militia movements. In fact, some authors consider hallucinatory drug intake

In the article, Should child soldiers be prosecuted for their crimes?, it says, “If a child under the age of 15 is considered too young to fight, then he or she must also be considered too young to be held criminally responsible for serious violations of IHL while associated with armed forces or armed groups.” This shows that children are to young to fight so they are also too young to be punished. Also, when children are to young and fighting, they don’t have their parents to help them make good choices. The kids know nothing better but to fight for people that they think are doing the right thing.

Are you aware that right now, at this very moment, there is a group of young boys ages 8-13 who are clenching a gun being ordered to kill against their will? It’s understood that others opinions about the dangers of child soldiers being free are only because they don’t want to risk anything but, isn’t life all about taking risks? You risk your life leaving the house, and breathing. Also, countries should not prosecute child soldiers for the crimes they committed during wartime. There also should not be an international minimum age of criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Here are three reasons why they should not be prosecuted or held responsible. Also that there should not be an age limit. One. Children are afraid, young, and clueless. Two. Children are 99.99% of the time drugged, forced, and brainwashed. “Children are often brainwashed and drugged before they are forced to fight. Their vulnerability can allow warlords to make them into cold-blooded killers” (O'Neill 1 ). Three. Children are independent, lonesome, and they want/need a family. One that gives them love.

These kids are truly in danger and need to be given amnesty. It says in the article Should Child Soldiers be Prosecuted for Their War Crimes?, that “Child soldiers are not morally responsible for their actions, children are often forced into fighting and have little choice over whether or not they enlist. After that, they are following orders of adults rather than acting of their own free will. The recruiters of child soldiers also use drugs and alcohol to make children more compliant and to enable them to commit acts they would not ordinarily commit. Child soldiers should therefore not be held responsible for actions they were forced to commit and had little understanding of.”.

For some of the people in the world you might think that child soldiers are criminals I think different. Why I think different is that they are not criminals they are victims not criminals. I will give you five reasons and these are kids getting brainwashed,kicked off sports,clearing minefields, parents selling them and resist going to help in the wars. The first most important reason from the article “Armed and Underage” is when they get brainwashed.

I am against child soldiers being prosecuted. My conclusion has been standing for a while now. Think back to when children are fighting on the front lines hearing guns shoot back and forth, falling to their knees in pain, and they didn't even have a choice. Children should not be prosecuted for a dirty deed planned by someone else, and forced upon the child by someone else, we should only prosecute the “someone else”; not the innocent child behind the master

The use of child soldiers have become a normal contribution to armies, especially in countries such as Africa. Although, countries such as Afghanistan, India, and Libya have been using child soldiers since 2011. According to “Children in Conflict: Child Soldiers,” there has been 36 countries involved since 1998. Something needs to be done about this issue due to the fact that thousands of

Some believe that these children should be prosecuted because of the horrific acts they have committed. The author of Child Soldiers reveals that not all child soldiers are abducted and forced into the military. Some of these child soldiers chose to go into the military. For example, the author states, “Children often become child soldiers in acts of patriotism and in want to avenge the deaths of their family members. Furthermore, it would be false to proclaim that all

Some say that these children will never change and will always want war and therefore they should be prosecuted. But these children had no idea what they were doing, they were drugged, threatened and afraid. Some child soldiers are tortured and raped(Leaphy 1). Also “if a child under 15 is considered too young to fight, then he or she must also be considered too young to be held criminally responsible for serious violations of IHL while associated with armed forces or armed groups”(Should Child

The side that argues prosecuting the child soldiers says kids were given the option to stay or leave, and most chose to stay. That is only partly true. It is true that they are given the option. Yet, the children indirectly forced to stay. Because they have become addicted to the drugs the warlords gave them, they are now dependent on them for those drugs and simply cannot leave, as it reads on debatewise.org. Also, Ishmael Beah points out that through the war, they have gained a connection to their commanders and fellow soldiers. For some, including Ishmael, it is the only family they have left. So, they may, indeed, choose to stay, but not for the reason the many believe. Instead of staying for the fighting, the stay for of family. Those who argue that child soldiers should be considered the perpetrators also say that if we grant amnesty to the soldiers, there would be no justice for the victims they killed. This is completely agreeable and understandable. It is agreeable that there should be punishment given in order to fulfill justice for the victims. However, in order for justice to be fully satisfied, the children should not be the ones punished, but rather, the warlords who wish to come to the US from their country of origin. The warlords drug the child soldiers and kill those who do not follow orders. They also force some to join. If child soldiers were

Child soldiers, each of them are unique individuals each with their own backstory, believes, and level of participation in the war; therefore, they should be treated as so. A ‘one size fits all’ policy would not be fair, and so we should have each child soldier go through a recovery process that includes psychological evaluation, therapy, medical treatment, and an assimilation into a new life. This would help them heal, but from that we can also find those who still strongly believe in their terrorist’s group message and those who have completely moved on from it. For justice to be done, we will give freedom for those who deserve it and prosecute those who deserve it.